Applying Regional Health Plan Best Practices in the Treatment of AMD and DR/DME

• Release Date: August 15, 2024
• Expiration Date: February 28, 2026
• Estimated Time to Complete Activity: 1.25 hours
• Compatible with all modern browsers and mobile devices

Expert Faculty California AMCP Affiliate

Jeffrey Dunn, PharmD, MBA President and CEO Cooperative Benefits Group (CBG) Click here for biography Zachary Contreras, PharmD Director, Pharmacy Benefits Sharp Health Plan Click here for biography Michael Javaheri, MD, MSC Vitreoretinal Surgeon & Clinical Researcher Retina Specialists of Beverly Hills Click here for biography Lisa Cashman, PharmD Vice President, Strategic Payer Content Lumanity Click here for biography Hiva Pourarsalan, PharmD Director of Pharmacy Mercy Care Advantage at Aetna Click here for biography

Southwest AMCP Affiliate

Mark Barakat, MD Retina Macula Institute of Arizona Click here for biography Dana McCormick, RPh, FAMCP Director of Pharmacy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas Click here for biography Anthony Albert, PharmD Clinical Pharmacist Evernorth Care Group Click here for biography Justin Weiss, PharmD, MBA Vice President, Pharmacy Operations & Compliance Cambia Health Solutions Click here for biography

Northeast AMCP Affiliate

Adrienne Scott, MD Clinic Director, Wilmer Eye Institute - Bel Air Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Johns Hopkins Medicine Click here for biography Gary M. Owens, MD President Gary Owens Associates Click here for biography Hannah Lee Brown, PharmD, RPh, CPHQ Director, Pharmacy Benefits Healthfirst Click here for biography Andrew Cox, PharmD, MBA Experienced Managed Care Pharmacist Click here for biography Steven Peskin, MD, MBA, MACP Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine Rutgers RWJ Medical School Course Director Internal Medicine Grand Rounds Penn Princeton Healthcare Click here for biography

Tennessee-Alabama AMCP Affiliate

Gary M. Owens, MD President Gary Owens Associates Click here for biography Avni Finn, MD, MBA Fellowship Director, Medical Director of Imaging Assistant Professor Vanderbilt University Medical Center Click here for biography Elizabeth Cherry, PharmD, MMHC, CSP Director, Trade Relations and Market Access Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy Click here for biography Chelsea Philips Renfro, PharmD Research and Engagement Pharmacist Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy Click here for biography

Target Audience
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of AMCP affiliate members in the roles of medical directors, registered nurses, pharmacy directors, clinical pharmacists, specialty pharmacists, quality directors, as well as network physicians affiliated with various MCOs, health systems, and other payer organizations.

Statement of Need/Program Overview
Within the space of just a few years, several new retinal treatments have been approved for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy/diabetic macular edema (DR/DME), promising increased durability and better patient outcomes. These conditions can significantly impact vision and quality of life for patients. Retinal specialists are using a combination of traditional therapies, such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections, as well as emerging therapies, like sustained-release drug delivery systems, and other innovative approaches. The involvement of payers in the management of retinal diseases is essential to ensure that treatments are accessible to patients who need them. It is an exciting time in the field of retinal medicine, with advancements in treatment options and the opportunity for collaboration between retinal specialists and payers to improve the quality of patient care while also managing costs.

Educational Objectives
After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Assess evidence-based treatment strategies and resources for optimal patient outcomes in diabetic retinopathy/diabetic macular edema (DR/DME) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
• Characterize pharmacologic treatment options for DR/DME and AMD in terms of efficacy, safety, and dosing intervals
• Employ regional benefit design strategies that facilitate appropriate patient access to evidence-based treatment options for DR/DME and AMD
• Implement collaborative regional payer/provider initiatives to improve the treatment of DR/DME and AMD

Accreditation Information

Joint Accreditation Statement In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Medical Education Resources, Inc., and Impact Education, LLC. Medical Education Resources is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician Continuing Medical Education
Medical Education Resources designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Pharmacy Education
Medical Education Resources designates this continuing education activity for 1.25 contact hours (0.125 CEU) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

UAN: JA0003680-9999-24-167-H01-P
Type of Activity: Knowledge-based

Please note: Pharmacists have up to 30 days to complete the evaluation and claim credit for participation so that information can be submitted to CPE Monitor as required.

Continuing Nursing Education
Medical Education Resources designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.25 ANCC nursing contact hours. Nurses will be awarded contact hours upon successful completion of the activity.

Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships
Medical Education Resources ensures balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all our educational activities. In accordance with this policy, MER identifies relevant financial relationships with its instructors, content managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of an activity. Reported relevant financial relationships are mitigated by MER to ensure that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CE activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. MER is committed to providing learners with high-quality CE activities that promote improvements or quality in health care and not the business interest of an ineligible company.

The faculty reported the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities related to the educational content of this CE activity:

The MER planners and managers have nothing to disclose.
The Impact Education, LLC® planners and managers have nothing to disclose.

DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE
This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The planners of this activity do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of the planners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

DISCLAIMER
Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications and/or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

FEE INFORMATION
There is no fee for this educational activity.